27 July 2010

Quick follow up keeping your member "local"


Just thought I'd follow up the previous post I made about local members.

Whilst I'm yet to receive a response to my letter which I only sent on Friday, I received two junk mail items in my letterbox tonight from my local member, the Hon. Jenny Macklin, MP.

The first one is a four page glossy leaflet filled with "news" articles and photos (lots) of Macklin titled "New Financial Year Update". It's subtitled "Jagajaga News | Jenny Macklin MP" so it's clearly been made to suit the electorate, however, the articles can be summarised as follows:

  • Letter to "Resident" that may also be read as an executive summary of the rest of the leaflet;
  • Details of the paid parental leave scheme (18 weeks at National Minimum wage, or $570 per week);
  • Details of quarterly Pension Supplement payments paid in advance up to $1,005.70 (singles) or $758.10 (each member of a couple) per six month period;
  • Small bit about rise in government pension rates from September last year of $100 (singles) or $74 (each member of a couple);
  • Small bit about one-off Carer Supplement of $600;
  • Small bit about contacting Macklin's office for free information kits;
  • Full page trumpeting tax cuts;
  • Small bit about 50% Child Care Rebate being available as a fortnightly option; and
  • Half page on health reforms and other health initiatives.

The other one is one sheet with details of Labor's Renewable Energy Fund on one side ($652.5 million) and an invitation to come and meet Macklin at Eltham Town Square on Saturday 31 July between 11.15 AM and 12.00 PM on the other.

Neither of these, it should be noted, contain any information on what she's done for Jagajaga specifically in the last electoral term.

Now I am curious.

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